Book Review, Catch Up: Part 3

Girls of Paper and Fire #1 by Natasha Ngan

• I couldn’t put it down! I need this book series to become a tv series expeditiously! The need to know what happens next, the hatred for characters, this book is so well written. The depth in the story feels like you’re stepping inside the page into the books world, right next to the paper girls, scared for them & cheering for their victory. This is very much a YA romance story, just happens to be taking place within a fantasy, magical beasts, wizards & warlocks amongst humans & “half breeds” world in turmoil.

Girls of Storm and Shadow (Girls of Paper and Fire #2) by Natasha Ngan

• Continuation of above, does the story lag & drag a little bit, maybe, maybe I’m too impatient. That said, of course I had to read the 2nd book & it was just as good. I haven’t purchased the 3rd yet, only because I have quite a few books left on my TBR shelf & keep telling myself to stop buying more books until I’ve finished my stack. *Insert eyeroll at self* Rated 4 stars on GR, 3rd book is on my to-buy list.

One of Us Is Next (One of Us Is Lying #2) by Karen M. McManus

• While I like this authors writing style & the pace of her stories & ultimately liked this book as well, I did find myself rolling my eyes a few times throughout. Some things were just too absurd in the real world to not be eye-roll worthy in a fiction story. First & foremost this truth or dare game playing out on social media & somehow being a secret from everyone except the students of this school,*insert eye-roll* what on social media is a secret?! please *insert eye-roll* Regardless, it’s an entertaining book & I will be reading the 3rd. Am I on the edge of my seat awaiting it’s release no, however #1 & #2 were good enough to entice me to finish the story & explore more by this author. Rated 4 stars on GR, eye-rolling & all.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R Covey

• This isn’t my usual read & it wasn’t technically “a read”, it was a listen on audible, recommended by my tiktok ‘for you page’. There were no life-changing revelations, no mind-changing eye openers for me in the pages of this book but this book very much earned my 5 star rating. As I stated above, common sense isn’t common & what to me felt like reassurance to another may feel like a life changing new thought.

The Conference of the Birds (Miss Peregrine’s Peculiar Children #5) by Ransom Riggs

• I read this book to read this book, that’s where I am with this series. I said in my quick review of book 4 that this story was feeling dragged out & this one cemented that feeling & I hate that because it’s a good story but it didn’t need to go on as long as it did nor get as convoluted. I realized while writing this quick review that I didn’t write reviews for books #1-#3 & maybe I will do a full series review because it started off good but dang it kinda became a chore to finish reading. Rated 4 stars on GR, despite it taking a long month to finish.

How to Own Your Mind (The Mental Dynamite Series) by Napoleon Hill

• Another audible listen, rated 4 stars on GR. Much like the other “self-help” book in this list of reviews, there were no life changing new ideas in this book for me. That said it’s a positive read & definitely has the potential to be life altering for many people I’m sure.

The Handmaid’s Tale #1 by Margaret Atwood

• I saw the show prior to reading the books, season 1 at least reading both books in between the ending of season 1 & beginning of season 2. I couldn’t help but to compare the differences & changes between book & show, while I’m usually firmly siding with books being better, both are very good here. Finished in a little over a week, immediately picked up book 2, rated 5 stars on GR.

The Testaments (The Handmaid’s Tale #2) by Margaret Atwood

• This book… I was initially being a little harsh in my opinion of this book, mostly because I was reading it as a prequel to handmaids tale & while it is that, it’s not the prequel I thought I was getting into. I purchased this book thinking it was about Aunt Lydia, however she was just 1 of the main characters. Once I moved past this book not being specifically about Aunt Lydia’s story, I did really like it. It was interesting to compare the beginning days of Gilead to what I’d already read & seen of the future Gilead. Rated 5 stars on GR.

Part 4 coming soon…